PalmSource Software Library

PalmSource libsqlfs Software Library : PalmSource Inc., announced the release of its software library known as libsqlfs, under a Lesser General Public License. Created as part of the Access Linux Platform, the libsqlfs library is an add-on to the popular SQLite package. The libsqlfs software library was designed to provide a more flexible and convenient way to implement an Open Mobile Alliance-Device Management compliant registry. Libsqlfs was created as part of Access Linux Platform for smartphones and mobile devices. It supports space-efficient writable storage and provides applications a full read/write file system stored in a SQLite database. OMA-DM is a key specification for mobile phones and devices, and it defines a common set of system settings for cell phones.

PalmSource software library - SQLite
This specification requires support for secure settings, whose Access must be limited to applications with specific credentials. Such a service must also allow keys to be organized in a hierarchy like pathnames in a file system. PalmSource engineers concluded that a simpler way to meet these needs was to write a library that supported the POSIX file system semantics on an SQL database. This combines the benefits of a real database, such as transactions and concurrency control, with SQL Access to file system metadata. OMA-DM is a key specification for mobile phones and devices, and it defines a common set of system settings for cell phones. This specification requires support for secure settings, whose Access must be limited to applications with specific credentials.

System-to-database-file bridge
"The motivation for creating a file system-to-database-file bridge originated with our need for ALP to be able to store and retrieve application and system preferences," said Michael Kelley, senior vice president of engineering at PalmSource. "We evaluated what is available today and decided to write a software library specifically to address this issue."

Palmsource - Free open source software
"PalmSource built a tremendously strong community around Palm OS," commented Bill Weinberg, Senior Analyst, Open Source Development Lab (OSDL). "Today, their creation of the Linux-based ALP platform and opening up libsqlfs (and other projects) demonstrates their capability to build communities around embedded software, and their commitment to free open source software."

Libsqlfs Software Library - Applications
An adjunct to the open source SQLite database software, the libsqlfs library, developed by PalmSource, provides an easy way for applications to put an entire read/write file system into a relational database as a single file in the host file system. Such a file system can easily be moved around, backed up or restored as a single file. In addition, the file system in a single database file can be more space efficient than many small individual files. Unlike other space-efficient alternatives such as cramfs, ( a Linux filesystem designed to be simple, small, and to compress things well. It is used on a number of embedded systems and small devices.) the libsqlfs software library supports write Access to the files.

PalmSource - Software library libsqlfs
A registry built using the libsqlfs software library can accommodate small preference values such as a number, and large binary objects such as a video clip. The library provides a generic file system layer that maps a file system onto an SQLite database, and supports POSIX file system semantics. "Some companies 'get' the open source community and others don't. PalmSource's decision to make available the libsqlfs library shows commitment and support for the open source community. The software will be a useful adjunct to SQLite. PalmSource 'gets' open source," said Patrick Green, Open Source Systems Consultant.

About Access Linux Platform
The Access Linux Platform, or ALP, is a fully integrated, open, flexible and commercial grade Linux-based platform designed for smartphones and mobile devices. ALP combines the best-in-class open source Linux components with proven mobile technologies from the portfolios of PalmSource and Access. The Access Linux Platform will include a Palm OS compatibility layer, currently known as GHost (Garnet Host). It is expected that properly written 68K Palm OS applications will run on ALP-based devices with little or no modification.

About Access
Access Co., Ltd., is a global company providing leading technology, software products and platforms for web browsing, mobile phones, wireless handhelds and other networked devices. Access' product portfolio, including its NetFront browser, Palm OS and the Access Linux Platform provide customers with solutions that enable faster time-to-market, flexibility and customizability. The Company, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, operates 11 subsidiaries and affiliates within Asia, Europe and the United States, including PalmSource, Inc. Access is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Mothers Index under the number 4813.

About PalmSource
PalmSource, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Access Co., Ltd., is the company behind Palm OS, a leading operating system powering mobile devices and phones. PalmSource's products include a wide range of software for mobile phones at all price points. More than 40 million mobile phones, handhelds, and other mobile devices run PalmSource software. PalmSource and Palm OS have given rise to a large community of users, enterprises, developers and manufacturers, who together make up the Palm Powered Economy.